Police, community and calendar briefs for July 24, 2012

Published: Monday, July 23, 2012 at 10:00 p.m.

Last Modified: Monday, July 23, 2012 at 7:56 p.m.

Fights involving a large number of people broke out in the parking lot of a skating rink Sunday night as hundreds of young people watched and urged on the skirmishes.

The fighting started just after 10:30 p.m. at Skate Mania at 5461 SE Maricamp Road, Ocala. When Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived, they found between 300 and 400 people in the parking lot with several fights occurring within the crowd.

Deputies tried using a loudspeaker system to disperse the crowd, but were unsuccessful. One deputy slowly drove his car to the center of the crowd and again tried using a loudspeaker, but that did not help disperse the crowd or stop the fighting, reports state.

Deputies were eventually able to get the situation under control. One person was arrested after she continued to urge people to fight and did not listen to officers who told her to leave.

Jade Johnson, 18, was charged with trespassing after warning and affray. She was being held Monday afternoon at the Marion County Jail in lieu of a $1,000 bond.

Diamond Oil worker robbed

A worker at a convenience store was robbed at gunpoint as he closed the store Sunday night.

The 42-year-old man was locking up the Diamond Oil store at 3380 SE Lake Weir Ave., Ocala, when a man walked up to him holding a long rifle, according to Marion County Sheriff’s Office reports.

The gunman demanded money, and the employee handed him approximately $500 he had in his pocket. The armed man then ran into a wooded area near the railroad tracks, according to reports.

The gunman is described as black with a thin build. He was wearing red and white shorts and a long, white shirt. He had a white scarf around his face.

Anyone with information about the case can call the Sheriff’s Office at 732-9111 or Crime Stoppers at 368-STOP.

Machete attack suspect arrested

A Tampa man accused of murdering a man with a machete was arrested Sunday in Ocala, while presumably on his way to Mexico.

Candelario Herrera-Vazquez, 24, is accused of attacking a 26-year-old man with the machete Saturday. The man’s body was found at 11:30 a.m. in a bedroom at a house in Tampa, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

Investigators later found the machete in a trash can in Sarasota County and discovered Herrera-Vazquez had purchased a one-way bus ticket to Mexico.

Herrera-Vazquez was aboard a Tornado bus that made a scheduled stop in Ocala at 4277 W. State Road 40. When Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived, they found Herrera-Vazquez inside a restaurant, according to reports.

He was arrested without incident and was booked into the Marion County Jail on a warrant for first-degree murder.

COMMUNITY

RSVP for Honor Flight social

The Windsor of Ocala Assisted Living and Memory Care center will hold an Ocala Honor Flight mixer from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on July 31 at 2650 SE 18th Ave., Ocala.

Help support the last mission of the Ocala Honor Flight this fall and meet veterans of World War II. Reservations are required by Wednesday.

For more information, call 873-8000.

Walk of Hope set for Sept. 8

A Walk of Hope, honoring victims and survivors of domestic violence, will be held beginning at 8 a.m. on Sept. 8 at the Ocala Police Department, 402 S. Pine Ave., Ocala.

The walk will end at the College of Central Florida with music, vendors and more.

The event is free to attend.

For more information, visit www.breakthesilenceonviolence.org)

CTAE clinic offers $20 massages

Community Technical & Adult Education’s Student Massage Clinic is scheduling massages for the general public at $20 for a 50-minute appointment from Aug. 6 through Nov. 14.

The program allows students to earn required clinical hours and take the required test to become licensed massage therapists. The clinic is overseen by a licensed massage therapist. All massages are performed by students.

Massages are available at 5:30, 6:45 and 8 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays, by appointment only.

For more information, call 671-7200, Ext. 56801.

Leadership program offered

The College of Central Florida Citrus Campus is accepting enrollment for its Student Leadership Development Series, which begins in September. The program is free and open to all CF and high school students from Citrus, Levy and Marion counties.

A new session of Community Emergency Response Team training will begin on Sept. 13 at the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, 692 NW 30th Ave., Ocala.

The eight-session training program is available from 1 to 3:30 p.m. or 6:30 to 9 p.m. Only one class can be missed in the series, and the CPR and last class are mandatory.

The CERT program is made up of volunteers under the direction of the Division of Emergency Management of the Sheriff’s Office. The purpose is to train and certify volunteers to be first responders in the event of a disaster such as a hurricane or tornado.

For more information, call 812-0853.

CALENDAR

TODAY

SCHOOL BOARD: The Marion County School Board meets at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 24, at board headquarters, 512 SE Third Street, Ocala. (671-7700, www.marion.k12.fl.us/)

PAJAMA PARTY: A pajama party will begin at 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 24, at the Freedom Public Library, 5870 SW 95th St., Ocala. (438-2580)

SUPPORT GROUP: PTSD support group, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 24, College Of Central Florida, 3001 SW College Road, Room 102, Building 41, Ocala. (875-8200 or poemsbycraig1@aol.com)

<p class="bold allcaps">POLICE BEAT</p>
<p><b>Deputies break up big fights</b></p><p>Fights involving a large number of people broke out in the parking lot of a skating rink Sunday night as hundreds of young people watched and urged on the skirmishes.</p><p>The fighting started just after 10:30 p.m. at Skate Mania at 5461 SE Maricamp Road, Ocala. When Marion County Sheriff's Office deputies arrived, they found between 300 and 400 people in the parking lot with several fights occurring within the crowd.</p><p>Deputies tried using a loudspeaker system to disperse the crowd, but were unsuccessful. One deputy slowly drove his car to the center of the crowd and again tried using a loudspeaker, but that did not help disperse the crowd or stop the fighting, reports state.</p><p>Deputies were eventually able to get the situation under control. One person was arrested after she continued to urge people to fight and did not listen to officers who told her to leave.</p><p>Jade Johnson, 18, was charged with trespassing after warning and affray. She was being held Monday afternoon at the Marion County Jail in lieu of a $1,000 bond.</p><p><b>Diamond Oil worker robbed</b></p><p>A worker at a convenience store was robbed at gunpoint as he closed the store Sunday night.</p><p>The 42-year-old man was locking up the Diamond Oil store at 3380 SE Lake Weir Ave., Ocala, when a man walked up to him holding a long rifle, according to Marion County Sheriff's Office reports.</p><p>The gunman demanded money, and the employee handed him approximately $500 he had in his pocket. The armed man then ran into a wooded area near the railroad tracks, according to reports.</p><p>The gunman is described as black with a thin build. He was wearing red and white shorts and a long, white shirt. He had a white scarf around his face.</p><p>Anyone with information about the case can call the Sheriff's Office at 732-9111 or Crime Stoppers at 368-STOP.</p><p><b>Machete attack suspect arrested</b></p><p>A Tampa man accused of murdering a man with a machete was arrested Sunday in Ocala, while presumably on his way to Mexico.</p><p>Candelario Herrera-Vazquez, 24, is accused of attacking a 26-year-old man with the machete Saturday. The man's body was found at 11:30 a.m. in a bedroom at a house in Tampa, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.</p><p>Investigators later found the machete in a trash can in Sarasota County and discovered Herrera-Vazquez had purchased a one-way bus ticket to Mexico.</p><p>Herrera-Vazquez was aboard a Tornado bus that made a scheduled stop in Ocala at 4277 W. State Road 40. When Marion County Sheriff's Office deputies arrived, they found Herrera-Vazquez inside a restaurant, according to reports.</p><p>He was arrested without incident and was booked into the Marion County Jail on a warrant for first-degree murder.</p><h3>COMMUNITY</h3>
<p><b>RSVP for Honor Flight social</b></p><p>The Windsor of Ocala Assisted Living and Memory Care center will hold an Ocala Honor Flight mixer from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on July 31 at 2650 SE 18th Ave., Ocala.</p><p>Help support the last mission of the Ocala Honor Flight this fall and meet veterans of World War II. Reservations are required by Wednesday.</p><p>For more information, call 873-8000.</p><p><b>Walk of Hope set for Sept. 8</b></p><p>A Walk of Hope, honoring victims and survivors of domestic violence, will be held beginning at 8 a.m. on Sept. 8 at the Ocala Police Department, 402 S. Pine Ave., Ocala. </p><p>The walk will end at the College of Central Florida with music, vendors and more.</p><p>The event is free to attend.</p><p>For more information, visit www.breakthesilenceonviolence.org)</p><p><b>CTAE clinic offers $20 massages</b></p><p>Community Technical & Adult Education's Student Massage Clinic is scheduling massages for the general public at $20 for a 50-minute appointment from Aug. 6 through Nov. 14.</p><p>The program allows students to earn required clinical hours and take the required test to become licensed massage therapists. The clinic is overseen by a licensed massage therapist. All massages are performed by students.</p><p>Massages are available at 5:30, 6:45 and 8 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays, by appointment only. </p><p>For more information, call 671-7200, Ext. 56801. </p><p><b>Leadership program offered</b></p><p>The College of Central Florida Citrus Campus is accepting enrollment for its Student Leadership Development Series, which begins in September. The program is free and open to all CF and high school students from Citrus, Levy and Marion counties.</p><p>Workshops will be offered from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays, Sept. 6 through Oct. 11, at the Citrus Learning and Conference Center, Room 101A, 3800 S. Lecanto Highway, Lecanto.</p><p>Sessions will cover “Team Building,” “Exploring Leadership Styles,” “Solving the Personality Puzzle,” “Body Language,” “Getting Smart About Credit” and “Leading a Focused Life.”</p><p>For more information, call 249-1207. </p><p><b>CERT training begins on Sept. 13</b></p><p>A new session of Community Emergency Response Team training will begin on Sept. 13 at the Marion County Sheriff's Office, 692 NW 30th Ave., Ocala.</p><p>The eight-session training program is available from 1 to 3:30 p.m. or 6:30 to 9 p.m. Only one class can be missed in the series, and the CPR and last class are mandatory.</p><p>The CERT program is made up of volunteers under the direction of the Division of Emergency Management of the Sheriff's Office. The purpose is to train and certify volunteers to be first responders in the event of a disaster such as a hurricane or tornado.</p><p>For more information, call 812-0853.</p><h3>CALENDAR</h3>
<p><center><b>TODAY</center></b></p><p>SCHOOL BOARD: The Marion County School Board meets at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 24, at board headquarters, 512 SE Third Street, Ocala. (671-7700, www.marion.k12.fl.us/)</p><p> </p><p>PAJAMA PARTY: A pajama party will begin at 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 24, at the Freedom Public Library, 5870 SW 95th St., Ocala. (438-2580)</p><p> </p><p>SUPPORT GROUP: PTSD support group, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 24, College Of Central Florida, 3001 SW College Road, Room 102, Building 41, Ocala. (875-8200 or poemsbycraig1@aol.com)</p><p> </p><p>SUMMER CHORALE: The Summer Sacred Chorale rehearses, 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, July 24, Oakcrest Baptist Church, 1109 NE 28 St., Ocala. (sschorale_ocala@yahoo.com or 629-7058)</p><p> </p><p>NAR ANON: 12-step support group for those with loved one suffering from addiction, 6:45 p.m. Tuesday, July 24, St. Marks United Methodist Church, 1839 NE Eighth Ave. Road, Ocala. Newcomers 6 p.m. (naranonfl.org)</p><p> </p><p>OCALA HARMONY: Four-part harmony women's barbershop chorus, 1 to 3 p.m. Tuesday, July 24, College Park Church, 3140 SW 26th St., Ocala. (875-4811)</p><p> </p><p>OVEREATERS: Overeaters Anonymous, 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 24, St. Mark's United Methodist Church, 1839 NE Eighth Ave. Road, Room 4, Ocala. (425-2339) </p><p> </p><p>T.O.P.S.: Taking Off Pounds Sensibly, 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 24, First United Methodist Church, 1126 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala. Weigh-in 5:45 p.m. (236-4157 or 732-6947)</p><p> </p><p><center><b>TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY</center></b></p><p>KIDS MOVIES: “Rio” and “Spy Kids 4,” 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 24, and Wednesday, July 25, Hollywood 16, 2801 SW 27th Ave., Ocala. $1. (861-3695)</p><p> </p><p><center><b>WEDNESDAY</center></b></p><p>ACCORDION CLUB: Accordion players welcomed, 5:30 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, July 25, Cherrywood Clubhouse, 6253 SW 100th Loop, Ocala. (854-6236 or www.accordions.com/floirda)</p><p> </p><p>PUPPET SHOW: Rumpelstiltskin puppet show and workshop, 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 25, Fort McCoy Public Library, 14660 NE County Road 315, Fort McCoy, and 2 p.m. Freedom Public Library, 5870 SW 95th St., Ocala. (438-2560 or 438-2580)</p><p> </p><p>COMPUTER CLASS: Virtual vacation destination Asia, 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 25, Marion County Public Library, 2720 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala. (671-8551)</p><p> </p><p>STAR CATCHERS: Star stories, activities and crafts, for grades K-third, 2 p.m. Wednesday, July 25, Marion County Public Library, 2720 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala. (671-8551)</p><p> </p><p>NIGHT OWLS: Explore the universes through books and activities, for grades 4-6, 2 p.m. Wednesday, July 25, Marion County Public Library, 2720 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala. (671-8551)</p><p> </p><p>BOOK CLUB: Forest Readers Book Club, 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 25, Forest Public Library, 905 S. County Road 314A, Ocklawaha. (438-2540)</p><p> </p><p>MOVIE MATINEE: Movie for teens and adults, 2 p.m. Wednesday, Forest Public Library, 905 S. County Road 314A, Ocklawaha. (438-2540)</p><p> </p><p>STUFFED ANIMAL CAMPOUT: Youth have snacks and a story before tucking stuffed animals in for a campout, 5 p.m. Wednesday, July 25, Forest Public Library, 905 S. County Road 314A, Ocklawaha. (438-2540)</p><p><i>To submit information for this list, send an e-mail to calendar@starbanner.com or visit www.ocala.com, scroll down and click on EVENTS CALENDAR on the right.</i></p>